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School Garden-Based Nutrition Education
Photo of sunflower in Riddle school garden courtesy of Katie Olender
School Gardens

    Riddle Elementary School Garden
    221 Huron St, Lansing, MI 48915
    This garden currently has 35 raised beds, including a 20’ X 30’
    hoop house; with beds within and outside the structure.
    Going into its 5th year
    Serves 223 students grades K-5


School Garden Based Nutrition Education Goals

  • Students will demonstrate that they have learned how to plant, grow, harvest, and prepare
    fruits and vegetables from their school garden.
  • Students will increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • Students will garden at home as a result of gardening at school.
  • Students will identify foods and have knowledge about foods in each of the USDA Food
    Pyramid categories.

Lesson Plan Basics

The following elements are incorporated into each monthly classroom visit:

  • Students prepare a nutritious food sample on each classroom visit.  Nutrition facts are
    read to or read by students depending on the grade level.  Students are then made to
    identify the food group of the each food sample and the number of servings required per
    day.  Kindergarten and 1st graders focus on identifying various fruits and vegetables.
  • There will be an educational piece as a part of each lesson.  Sometimes this will be a
    basic worksheet, and other times it will be hands on (measuring, weighing, voting,
    performing experiments).  The educational piece guarantees teacher involvement in our
    programs.  Sometime the educational piece may be in the form of an art, craft or game
    (such as painting garden signs or playing Veggie Bingo).
  • Exercise:  Children need an hour of exercise every day to maintain good health.  Staff
    has learned a variety of basic yoga and aerobic exercises to teach students in the
    classroom.

    School Garden Based Nutrition Education Curriculum

    FSP staff has worked hard this past year developing Growing
    Minds:  The School Garden-Based Nutrition Education
    Curriculum Based on the Michigan Department of Education
    Grade Level Content Expectations.  FSP developed the curriculum
    to assure teacher involvement in our program, as each lesson
    enhances the learning needs of students at their grade level.  We
    have 15-20 activities for each grade in English Language Arts,
    Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.  If you are interested in
    attaining a copy, please contact Joy Baldwin at 999-2894;
    joy@nwlansing.org.

Enrollment:

2009-2010
Currently, 908 students are enrolled on 44 classrooms across four elementary schools.

2008-2009























Survey Results
nwi
NorthWest Initiative - North Neighborhood Center
530 W. Ionia St., Suite D, Lansing, MI  48933
Phone: 517-999-2894   Fax:  517-999-2897
What We Grow